pears, for ·wisdom "crieth upon the highest the oharm of beiug forbidden; it is attractive places of the city" (ver. 3). because it is unlo.wful. This is a tro.it of Ver. 15.-To 0&11 passengers who go right corl'upt human nature, which is recognized on their ways. With shameless effrontery universally. 'l'hus Ovid,• Amor.,' iii. 4. 17- she cries to all that pass by, slie addresses " Nitimur in vetitum semper, oupimusque her solicitations to persons who are going negata; straight on their way, thinking nothing of Sio interdictis immlnet mger aquis." her, having no idea of deviating from tlieir pursued ob,iect. As they walk in the path Things easily attained, the possession of of right and duty, she tries to turn them which is gotten without effort or danger or aside. Septuagint, "Calling to herself ( 1rpou• breach of restraint, soon pall and oee.se to Ka>..ouµ<Y11) those that pass by and are keep- oh1um. To some minds the astuteness and ing straight in their ways." The Fathers secrecy required for success have an irre- find here a picture of the seductions of here- sistible attraction. Thus St. Augustine tical teachiug, which puts on the mask of relates (' Coof.,' ii. 4) how he and some com- orthodoxy and deceives the unwary. Words- panions committed a theft, not from want and worth notes that, in the Apocalypse, the fai9e poverty, nor even from the wish to enjoy teacher bears some emblems of the Lamb what was stolen, but simply for tlie pleasure (Rev. xiii. 11 ). All false doctrine ret,,ins of thieving and the sin. They robbed a some element of truth, and it is because of pear tree by night, carried off great loads, this admi:xturethat it procures adherents e.nd which they flung to the pigs, and their only thrives for a time. satisfaction we.s that they were doing what they ought not (" dum tamen fieret e. nob is, Vere. 16, 17.-Tbese verses contain the quad eo liberet quo non liceret "). Septua- invitation which Vice, in imitation of Virtue, gint, "Taste ye to your pleasure secret e.nd assumiug her voice e.nd manner, offers bread, e.nd sweet water of theft." Where to the wayfarers. water is a precious commodity, as in many parts of Palestine, doubtless thefts were Ver. 16.-Whoso is simple, let him turn often committed, e.nd persons made free with in hither. She uses the very same words their neighbour's tank when they could do which Wisdom utters (ver. 4). The latter so undetected, thus sparing their own re- had addressed the simple because they were eoUl'ces and felicitating themselves on their inexperienced and undecided, and might be cleverness. On the metaphorical use of guided aright; the former now Hpeaks to " waters " in Holy Scripture, St. Gregory them bet"ause they ha'l'e not yet made their says, " Waters e.re sometimes wont to denote final choice, can still be swayed by lower the Holy Spirit, sometimes sacred knowledge, considerations, and may be led astray. Snch sometimes calamity, sometimes drifting persons find it hard to distinguiBh between peoples, sometimes the minds of those follow- tlie good aud the evil, the false and the true, ing the faith." He refers to these texts re- especially when their sensual appetite is spectively: John vii. 38, etc.; Ecclus. xv. 3; aroused and sides with the temptress. No Ps. lxix. 1 ; Rev. xvii. 15 (" the waters are marvel is it that such are easily deceived ; peoples"); Isa. xxii. 20; e.nd he adds, "By for we are told that, under certain circum- water likewise bad knowledge is wont to be stances, Satan transfo= hi!llself into an designated, as when the woman in Solomon, angel of light (2 Cor. xi. H). Tha.t wa.nteth who beara the type of heresy, charms with llllderste.nding. This is the other class ad- crafty persuasion, saying, ' Stolen waters are dressed by Wisdom, and which Folly now sweet' " (' More.I.,' xix. 9). BOlicits, urging them to follow her on the Ver. 18.-The deluded youth is supposed path of pleasure, promising sensual enjoy- to be persuaded by the seductions of Folly, ment and security. and to enter her house. The writer, then, Ver. 17.-This is what she says: Btolen in a few weighty words, shows tlie terrible waters are sweet, and bread eaten in seoret result of this evil compli11nce. But he is pleasant. The metaphor of "stolen lmoweth not that the dead are there (see waters" refers primarily to adulterous inter- on eh. ii. 18 and vii. 27). There are none course, as to "drink waters out of one's "there," in her house, who can be said to own cistern" (eh. v.15, where see note) signi- be living, they e.ro rephaim, shadowy ghosts fies the cbaste connection of lawful wedlock. of Ii ving men, or else demons of the nether Wisdom offered flesh and wine to her guests; world. The Septuagint and Vulgate, with Folly offers br~ad and water. Wisdom in- a reference to Gen. vi. 4, translate 'Y'l'Y•"•is vites openly to a well-furnished table; Folly and gigantes. Her guests are in the depths <·111ls to a secret meal of be.rest victuals. of hell (sheol); Septuagint, "He knows not Wllflt tl,e former offers is rich and satisfying that giants porisb e.t her side, and he meets and comforting; what Vice gives is poor with a trap of hell." The terrible warning and wean and insipid. Yet this latter has miiy profitably be repeated more than once, OH. a. 1-18.J THE PROVERBS. 186
It is like Ohriet's o.wful 1aying, three timeB not in the plrice, nor put thy name [' eye,' enuncio.ted, " Where their worm dieth not, al.] by her; for thus ehalt thon pas; over o.nd the fire is not quenched " (Mark ix. 44, (31a.FH1o-r,) strange water; but abstain tho ,t 46, 48). 'fhe LXX. has another paragraph ftom strange water, and of a. strange sprin" e.t the end of this verae, which he.s no counter- drink not, that thou mayest live long, and po.rt in the Hebrew: "But start e.we.y, delay yea.I'll of life may be added to thee."